diagonalisation

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From diagonal +‎ -isation.

Noun

diagonalisation (countable and uncountable, plural diagonalisations) (non-Oxford British English)

  1. (mathematics) In matrix algebra, the process of converting a square matrix into a diagonal matrix, usually to find the eigenvalues of the matrix.
  2. (mathematics) An argument used in proof by contradiction by constructing a supposedly exhaustive list of all members of a class, and then subsequently constructing a new member which differs from each existing member in at least one place and therefore cannot belong to the list.